Photo: Nick Grossmann’s ‘save’ bails out Flyers

Photo: Nick Grossmann’s ‘save’ bails out Flyers

Just how close was the Flyers’ flirtation with disaster on Tuesday night? There’s the shot up above—you be the judge.

Sure, Philadelphia wound up defeating the Ottawa Senators 5-2, so in the grand scheme of things Nick Grossmann kicking the puck out of his own net might not seem to have mattered all that much. The Flyers had just allowed a third-period marker to knot the score at two though, and should Grossmann’s bail-out save been ruled a goal based on replay, Philly would’ve been trailing and in line for yet another late-game collapse.

Instead, the refs did not find sufficient evidence to overturn the call on the ice, and Kimmo Timonen (1 G, 2 A) would find the back of the net a short time later to help spark the Orange & Black down the stretch. Crisis averted, and the Flyers move to 8-10-2 on the season.

Seeing the play in real time, I was fairly convinced Grossmann made an incredible play. After watching enough replays, I’m fairly convinced the puck in its entirety probably did cross the goal line at some point. Remember though, the rubber needs to be completely over the red line, and close as it is, these low resolution screen grabs don't prove much.

Maybe the real genius in this play was Grossmann’s positioning over the puck prevented the overhead camera from getting a look that likely would’ve confirmed any suspicions. The explanation from the Situation Room:

Those are the breaks, and the Flyers pick up two big points.

Whether Grossmann kept that puck out of the net or not, it was a tremendous effort by one of the game’s top stay-at-home defenders. Afterwards, head coach Craig Berube joked his defenseman was tough enough to stand in goal without pads. Or maybe it wasn’t a joke. Grossmann is a scary dude.

There’s been a lot of talk lately that the Flyers may have turned a corner. They’re 6-3-2 over the last 11 games, so maybe there’s something to that theory. Finishes like this leave me feeling a bit more reserved though. Had Ottawa been awarded that goal with just over 10 minutes remaining, how would it have changed the momentum from that point on? My guess is the Flyers don’t win if that happens.

Sometimes it truly is better to be lucky than good though. That said, this team needed a break like that, arguably deserved one, and they finally got it. Good for them.

Nerlens Noel excited for impending return to game action

Nerlens Noel excited for impending return to game action

NEW ORLEANS -- The weeks and months have quickly piled up. Nerlens Noel has not played an NBA regular-season game since last season ended for the Sixers on April 13. Nearly eight months later, Noel is nearing the return he has been eyeing for quite some time now.

“It’s always an excitement to be able to play basketball after this amount of time, including the summer, not being able to play organized basketball at a competitive level,” Noel said Thursday. “I’ve been really looking forward to this. I think I’ve gained some momentum coming back from this minor surgery, and I think I’m in a really good place and I’m feeling good with my body. Everything is on point.”

Noel has been sidelined since undergoing elective left knee surgery in October to address an inflamed plica. He traveled to New Orleans on Wednesday to join the Sixers ahead of their 99-88 win over the Pelicans (see game recap). Noel continued his rehab Thursday while the team prepped for the game.

“I’ve been able do five-on-five, full contact,” Noel said. “I’ve tried to maximize my opportunities of that with the team being gone on the road. I came down here and went through most of shootaround and it went well. Now these next couple of days, [I will be] going through practice, still working on my wind. I do like where I’m at now.”

The Sixers’ next game is Sunday against the Pistons in Detroit. Brett Brown had given Noel’s availability for that game a “maybe” (see story).

“I’m not sure,” Noel said of playing Sunday. “I’m ready to go with these next couple of days and see how my wind feels and how my body feels, which I have been feeling good. So it’s a possibility.”

When Noel does return, there is a scenario in which he could be paired with center Joel Embiid. Last year, the Sixers struggled finding the best way to utilize Noel and Jahlil Okafor, also a center, at the same time playing the four and five positions. As Okafor has said of playing with Embiid, Noel also believes his off-the-court friendship with the towering rookie would translate onto the court.

Noel candidly expressed his opinion of the Sixers’ logjammed frontcourt at the start of the season. Since speaking to the media after his surgery, Noel has mentioned he is in a good mental place (see story). For him, that means being out on the court again.

“I love myself and I love the game of basketball,” Noel said. “When I step out here to come and play, it just brings a lot of enjoyment and excitement to me. Regardless of what the details of it are, I just love the game and I’m happy to just be playing.”

Mark Giordano scored for the Flames in a chippy game filled with big hits and multiple fights.

Hamilton capped a fast-paced overtime by deking Arizona's Mike Smith with a forehand before flipping in a backhander. Calgary has won five straight and eight of 11 (8-2-1).

Max Domi scored before leaving with an upper-body injury and Smith stopped 33 shots for the Coyotes, who have lost six straight and 11 of 14 (3-7-4).

Arizona captain Shane Doan became Arizona's all-time assist leader and is the fifth player in NHL history to own his team's records for games played, goals, assists, points, game-winning goals and power-play goals (see full recap).

Crosby, Penguins roll over PanthersSUNRISE, Fla. -- Sidney Crosby got his 18th goal and added an assist to lead the Pittsburgh Penguins over the Florida Panthers 5-1 on Thursday night.

Jaromir Jagr scored his 755th career goal, and Roberto Luongo stopped 25 shots for the Panthers. Luongo allowed three goals on Pittsburgh's first five shots.

Panthers coach Tom Rowe, who replaced Gerard Gallant on Nov. 28, made his home debut. The Panthers have lost five of six under Rowe, but managed a point in three of those losses (see full recap).

Price loses cool as Habs beat DevilsMONTREAL -- Carey Price lost his temper after being bumped twice in his crease and made 19 saves to help the Montreal Canadiens beat the New Jersey Devils 5-2 on Thursday night.

Torrey Mitchell scored twice and Phillip Danault, Artturi Lehkonen and Max Pacioretty also had goals for the Canadiens in their return from a five-game trip.

Adam Henrique scored a goal and set up one by Taylor Hall for New Jersey, which ended a two-game winning streak.

Montreal had a season-high 49 shots on Cory Schneider.

A wild first period included three goals, four goal reviews and Price's meltdown (see full recap).